To keep aviators and crews as well trained as possible, the Navy is introducing new proto- cols brought upon by advances in technology
and budget constraints to the schoolhouse. The climate goes beyond an approach that would dictate the
more things change, the more they stay the same.

Virtual training — inside simulators and away from
real cockpits and flight decks — has been the norm for
decades and will continue to play an integral role.
Nevertheless, even as new aircraft are introduced to the
inventory, the journey through instruction to certification will follow a rather traditional path.

“Training of aircrews remains the same as it has been,”
a Naval Air Forces Pacific (NAVAIR) public affairs
spokesperson said in an e-mail response to questions.

Aviators still will move through the process of primary, intermediate and advanced instructions, and then
train with a Fleet Replacement Squadron, before joining
the fleet. Enlisted crews, likewise, will earn their ratings
and advance accordingly through traditional avenues.

Nonetheless, changes will take place — again, prima-rily in the simulation realm. Recent technological strideshave enabled the naval aviation community to adopt whatit calls Live, Virtual Constructive(LVC) training and simulation.Now in play at the Warfare Deve-lopment Center at Naval Air StationFallon, Nev., LVC is proving to be aneffective method of ensuring thatsimulator trainers reproduce whatwould occur in real cockpits as faith-fully as possible. In essence, LVC’sHuman Performance Assessmentcomponent enables evaluators tolook at results experienced by train-ees and glean valuable informationabout their physical, functional andcognitive reactions to the process.With the understanding thatLVC alone would not be enough,the Warfare Development Center leverages it by factor-ing in security, physical and geographical limitations ofranges, and costs. Naval aviators and crews also cangarner useful information from simulators around theworld, which allows for sharing of over-the-horizoncombat scenarios encountered by forward-deployedpilots, the NAVAIR spokesperson said.“Our aviators must take greater advantage of simula-tion, especially as naval aviation moves toward a moreLVC-centric environment,” the spokesperson said.The Naval Air Warfare Training Systems Division isaccumulating considerable information on simulation,and developing expertise within the community regardingthe exercise of command and control. Aircrews, in turn,can use the information to avoid mistakes and achievesuccess in simulators before stepping into a real aircraft.“Aviators gain muscle memory through repetition ina safer, simulated environment. The controlled train-ing situation allows them to learn initial lessons priorto setting foot in an aircraft,” the spokesperson said.

Once the fliers gain an adequate level of proficiency,
garnered in conjunction with hands-on and simulated
instruction, LVC will enhance the experience, the naval

Training ProtocolsTechnological strides bring changes to the simulation side of pilot educationBy NICK ADDE, Special CorrespondentExpanding Role

Even as new aircraft are introduced to the inventory, the journey
through flight training instruction to certification will follow a
rather traditional path.

■ Virtual training has been the norm for decades and will continue to play an integral role.

■ Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) training ensures that simulator
trainers reproduce what would occur in real cockpits as faithfully
as possible.

■ The Warfare Development Center leverages LVC by factoring in
security, physical and geographical limitations of ranges, and costs.